Millar catapulted into stardom with Big Ben. Together, the legendary combination dominated the international show jumping scene for two decades.
Photo Credit: Canadian Press Images
“Representing Canada many times over my career has been my greatest honour,” said Millar. “Each time I wore the red team jacket was very special to me, and the fact that I was able to share this experience with so many great riders is a testament to the quality of horsemen and horsewomen here in our country.”
A well-respected horseman at home and around the world, Millar was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1986 and together with Big Ben, was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He was also presented with an honourary doctorate from the University of Guelph in 2005 and joined the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Millar’s extraordinary career was also honoured by EC with the Gold Medal Award for 2018.
While Millar may be stepping down from international competition, his love for the sport and horses is second to none, and he will remain as involved as ever. At the age of 72, he continues to be enthusiastic about coaching and developing young horses, stating, “Over the past few years, I have found myself more and more drawn toward working with young horses and riders, and I am excited to expand my coaching to share my knowledge and passion with the next generation.”
Garner added, “We are proud and grateful to have Ian’s involvement in several athlete development programs that will allow equestrians, from the grassroots to the world stage, to benefit from his incredible depth of knowledge and talent. While his retirement from international competition changes the face of the Canadian Show Jumping Team, there is an opportunity for the next generation of team athletes who grew up in the sport with Ian as their icon, to ride under the maple leaf with similar pride.”
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